Foods that help metabolism

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lenapwilliams
lenapwilliams Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Any ideas on what foods help metabolism?

Thanks

Replies

  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    None
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    Food doesn't increase metabolism unless you're eating in surplus (gaining weight) to try to add more muscle mass to your frame.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    All of them.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    It doesn't work that way.
  • xxxfox14
    xxxfox14 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm glad I read this, I was told that if you eat 6 meals a day every 3 hours, this boosts your metabo...hmm mm confused
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    xxxfox14 wrote: »
    I'm glad I read this, I was told that if you eat 6 meals a day every 3 hours, this boosts your metabo...hmm mm confused

    It's a myth, just keep your calories within your goals. Eat those calories any time you like.

    Quite often I'll eat all mine from dinner time onwards.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    xxxfox14 wrote: »
    I'm glad I read this, I was told that if you eat 6 meals a day every 3 hours, this boosts your metabo...hmm mm confused

    Unfortunately, it doesn't. If you maintain the same calorie levels, whether its 3 meals or 6 meals, thermal effect of food (TEF) will be the same.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    xxxfox14 wrote: »
    I'm glad I read this, I was told that if you eat 6 meals a day every 3 hours, this boosts your metabo...hmm mm confused

    nope. your body is using energy all day long to keep you alive, heart pumping, breathing, functioning, etc. Yes, even when sleeping. And this is not even including intentional exercise or your daily movements.

    There's not "revving up your metabolism" or "jumpstarting your day" or any other number of nonsensical crap we've all heard. All that matters is the total energy balance over a long period of time. Your body doesn't run on a 24 hour clock that resets or something.

    So what does this mean? You should eat when it is most convenient for you and in a way that allows you to control your overall calories.


    For some this means eating breakfast because it keeps them less likely to overeat on lunch. Or eating 6 meals a day because they don't ever get too hungry and eat over their calories. Or not eating after a certain time at night when they've already consumed all their calories for the day and eating after would cause them to eat in excess. Some people even prefer eating all of their calories in 1 or 2 large meals. etc.

    So long as you control the equation the time and frequency don't matter.
  • silvilunazul
    silvilunazul Posts: 59 Member
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    It's refreshing to see so many rational answers :)
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    There's no such magical unicorn.

    Your metabolism is what it is.

    You can give it a temporary boost through exercise but your base metabolic rate doesn't change based on what or how often you eat.
    Side note: it also continues in your sleep.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I have an underactive thyroid and selenium is supposed to help. So I eat 2 Brazil nuts every day.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    MostlyWater wrote: »
    I have an underactive thyroid and selenium is supposed to help. So I eat 2 Brazil nuts every day.

    If you've been prescribed an appropriate dose of synthroid, your metabolism is what it would be with a healthy thyroid.
  • lenapwilliams
    lenapwilliams Posts: 6 Member
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    Awesome! Thanks everyone :)
  • Noelani1503
    Noelani1503 Posts: 378 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    MostlyWater wrote: »
    I have an underactive thyroid and selenium is supposed to help. So I eat 2 Brazil nuts every day.

    If you've been prescribed an appropriate dose of synthroid, your metabolism is what it would be with a healthy thyroid.

    Synthroid is just T4. Selenium is supposed to help convert T4 to T3 for those who don't convert well, provided you're deficient in selenium. I'm one of those people (though not because of selenium). Doubling my synthroid dose did nothing for my symptoms or my labs.

    BUT, for the OP, absent a medical condition that affects your metabolism, you're mostly SOL. Caffeine and exercise.
  • Sassie_Lassie
    Sassie_Lassie Posts: 140 Member
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    lenapwilliams wrote: »
    Any ideas on what foods help metabolism?

    Thanks

    Is there a reason why you think your metabolism needs a "boost"? Has a blood test shown that you have hypothyroidism? Are you having symptoms of hypothyroidism like loss of hair, brittle nails, being cold all the time, gaining weight? If so then you need to talk to your doctor about meds to fix it.

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